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I. W. JORDAN.

TERMINAL CONNECTOR.

APPLICATION mm on. 4. ms.

1,310,661. mm July22, 1919.

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JOHN W. JORDAN, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

TERMINAL CONNECTOR.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, Joan W. JORDAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Terminal Connertors. of which the following is a specification.

()nc objert of my invention is to provide a terminal connector for electric wire conductors and to so construct said connector that it can be easily and quickly attached to the electric wire conduit and so that when attached it can be readily connected to any device which is to be supplied with electric current.

It is well known that in electric construction Work that wires must be attached to comparatively small devices and the workman. and the electrician very often has but little working space and it is often with great diliiculty that a wire connection can be made. For example, in junction boxes, cut outs, and various receptacles where numerous wires must necessarily be attached the electrican has, prior to my invention, experienced great difficulty in joining the wires to the connecting posts, plugs, etc.

Another object is to so construct the device of my invention that when attached to a wire it can be easily and conveniently attached to a connecting post or other securing device and where screws, nuts or bolts are used for attaching means they can be freely turned to securely attach the electric wire conductor.

A still further object is to construct the device of my invention in such manner that when attached it will securely bind the electric wire and cannot readily become detached therefrom.

Another object is to so construct In invention that when being attached to a inding post or the like the action of the binding screw or bolt will serve to further clamp the wire within the device so that it will be impossible for the wire to become detached therefrom.

These objects, and other advantageous ends which will be described hereinafter, I attain in the following manner, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of an electric: wire conductor having my improved terminal connector attached hereto,'

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 22, 1919.

Application filed Qctober 4, 1918. Serial No. 256,811.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of my invention attached to an electric wire conductor in which the conductor has a number of strands of wire,

Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation of my improved tcrminal connector taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2, the wire being omitted for clearness,

Fig. 4 i a view of similar nature to Fig. 2, showing how my invention is attached to a single strand of electric wire conductor,

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of my invcn tion showing how a. ferrule or hand can be attached thereto for clamping around the insulation of the wire, and

Fig. 6 is a section taken on the line 66 of Fig. 5.

Referring to the drawings, 8 represent-s an electric wire conductor having a. plurality of wire strands ,9 such, for example, as are present in numerous forms of flexible wire conductors.

My invention consists of a piece 10 of flexible material such, for example, as sheet metal which is malleable and easily bent. This piece is preferably made in the form of a disk which can be stamped or cut from sheet metal of the above mentioned type and which is a good conductor of electricity.

In the form illustrated, which is an extremely convenient form for attachment to the wire and for attachment to any electric device, I provide a central hole 11 and two concentric slots 12 and 13. These slots are made segmental, in other words, each forms a. part of a circle at opposite sides of the central hole 11.

By this construction a portion 14 of metal is provided between the hole 11 and the slots 12 and 13. This portion 14 is substantially ring-shape and forms a base or foundation upon which a screw head or nut can freely turn; it being, of course, understood that the hole 11 serves to permit a binding screw or bolt to extend therethrough and by this screw or bolt the device may be connected to any device desired.

The connector '10 is attached to the wire strands 9 by projecting said strands through both of the slots 12 and 13. To do this easily and quickly the portions 15 and 16 between the respective slots 12 and 13 and the peripheral edge 17 are bent so as to occup a diiferent'plane than the port on 14; arrangement of the parts being clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 3.

\Vhere a number of strands are used, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the strands are divided into two groups so that the groups, after bein inserted through the slots 13 and 12, will e positioned at opposite sides of the central hole 11. This is clearly illustrated in Fig. 2.

After the wire strands have thus been inserted the portions 15 and 16 can be slightly moved toward the plane of the portion 14 and this will cause a jamming or clamping of the wires in the slots 12 and 13. This clamping action will be further augmented when the connector 10 is attached by a screw, bolt or the like since the turning action of the screw or bolt will tend to force the portion 14 toward the plane of the portions 15 and 16 and in so doing will slightly compress the wire strands and securely bind them to the connector 10. This action will also produce an eiiicient electric connection between the wires and the connector 10.

In Fig. 4 I have shown my invention attached to an electric wire conductor 18 having a single strands 19 of wire which is formed into a loop 20 and is inserted through the slots 12 and 13 so that the two leg portions 21 and 22 of said loop occupy positions at opposite sides of the central hole 11.

In Figs. 5 and 6 I have shown a modification of my invention in which the connector includes a clamping band 23 which can be clamped around the insulation of an electric Wire conductor. This form can be used on conductors in which the wires are extremely weak and in which this further support is desirable. In all other respects this form of my invention is similar to that described in connection with the above mentioned figures and I have given similar parts corresponding reference numerals.

The device of myinvention can be cheaply and quickly manufactured and with its use it is possible to form a secure attachment without the necessity of soldering the ends of strands of wire or the like and then forming a hole therethrough for the attaching screw as is often practised by electricians. It will also be noticed that my improved connector permits the clamping pressure to be applied to the strands of wire centrally so that the resultant pressure is balanced and can be freely and easily manipulated into its osition for attachment.

urthermore, my improved connector can be attached to wires without the use of any special tools and the arrangement is such as to hold the wire strands thereto with practicall what is known as a three point contact.

hile I have described my invention as taking a particular form, it will be understood that the various parts of my invention may be changed without departing from the spirit thereof, and hence I do not limit myself to the precise construction set forth, but consider that I am at liberty to make such changes and alterations as fairly come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A terminal connector of the character described including a piece of flexible material having op ositely disposed slots formed entirel Within its width and a binding bolt hole ormed in the portion of said piece between said slots whereby a wire can be freely inserted through said slots Without the bending of said wire; substantially as described.

2. A terminal connector of the character described including a piece of flexible material having op .ositely disposed slots and a bindin bolt hole in the portion between said slots, 1; e portions of said piece between the slots and the peripheral edge occupying a diflerent lane from that occupied by the portion 0? said piece immediately ad acent said binding bolt hole whereby a wire can be inserted through said slots and across the portion of said piece which includes said hole and so that the binding action of a binding bolt extending through said hole will act to relatively move all of said portions toward a common plane and thereby jam the wire within said slots; substantially as do scribed.

-In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN W. JORDAN,

Witnesses:

MARY A. 11mm,- CHAS. E. Pom. 

